More Problems
Vaal 21st May: They raced on the sand track on Thursday where due to the track being inconsistent the meeting had to be abandoned after just two races. A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the friendless TEARAWAY. Allowed to drift right out to 16/1 from 6/1 at the track, Leon Erasmus’ charge was always handy. He put his head in front at halfway and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat his running on stable companion MAGIC (20/1) by a length and a tail.
Run in a slower time was the maiden plate over 1000m in which RETURN TO SUN got off the mark. Sent off third in the betting market at 3/1 Roy Magner’s charge was also positioned close to the speed. He quickened nicely when asked for an effort, and went on to score with authority by four and a half.
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Home Sweet Home
Fairview 22nd May: They raced on the turf on Friday where three of the eight races were run over 1200m. The newcomer NOTTINGHAMSHIRE opened up an even money favourite to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m, and although the son of Silvano was allowed to ease out to 16/10 on course, he did nonetheless do the business. He got away well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs led throughout. He was always in command and only having to be pushed out late on he won with plenty in hand by two and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the MR92 Handicap won by AL DON CUMARCO. On leaving the stalls it was SWIFT WONDER who elected to make the running whilst Yvette Bremner’s charge raced close up in fourth. He was ridden to lead going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for CLIFTON SURF by two and three quarters.
There were also three races run over 1800m and fastest against the clock amongst these was KALAMAIN in the MR85 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Greg Cheyne, the Admire Man gelding raced towards the backend of midfield for most of the journey. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and won well from SYMBOLIK by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Detached at the rear early on HIDDEN DRAGON was only beaten by a neck in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Gaining at the finish, en-route from midfield, GRAPE VINE only lost out in the MR70 Handicap over 1800m by the narrowest of margins.
TURNSTONE ran on well from the backend of midfield when third in the MR72 Handicap over 1200m.
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Gr1 Double For Dennis
Scottsville 23rd May: The Allan Robertson Championship for 2yo fillies was the first of four Gr1 events over 1200m to be run in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday and here we saw another smart performance from the Mike De Kock trained ENTISAAR. Allowed to drift right out to 7/1 from 7/2 at the track, the More Than Ready filly raced in midfield early on. She quickened well when the race began in earnest and comfortably accounted for the well-supported PRINCESS ROYAL (10/1 into 5/1) after striking the front 200m out.
The 2yo colts contested the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m and in a marginally faster time than that of Entisaar victory here went to SEVENTH PLAIN. Backed into favouritism on course (4/1 into 22/10), Dennis Drier’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 400m marker and won going away by two and a half from another supported runner REDCARPET CAPTAIN (7/1 into 7/2).
The stable of Dennis Drier were also on the mark when CAPTAIN OF ALL did the business for favourite backers in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint over 1200m. Shouldering top weight in what in real terms was a handicap, the son of Captain Al got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. He put his head in front going through the 300m and won well from the staying on pacemaker GULF STORM by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
FLY BY NIGHT ran on well from the backend of midfield when a one and three quarter length third in the Gr1 Fillies Sprint over 1200m.
Now a winner of three from five, SABAHA came from the rear when winning the MR81 Handicap over 1600m with authority by two and a quarter.
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Four In A Row
Kenilworth 23rd May: Four of the eight races in Cape Town on Saturday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these, not surprisingly, was the bill topping MR96 Handicap won by the rapidly improving MISTER MATCHETT. Extending his winning sequence to four here the Badger’s Drift gelding raced fifth of the seven for most of the journey. He ran on well from halfway and although the front running ASSTAR found extra when challenged, he went on to score comfortably by three quarters after striking the front 50m or so from home.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the maiden plate in which HOPE DOWNS got off the mark. Taken straight to the front by apprentice Brandon May, the 2/1 second favourite quickly had the field very strung out. She was five lengths clear entering the straight and maintained that advantage all the way to the wire.
At the other end of the scale as far as distance was concerned the closest finish on the afternoon occurred in the MR85 Handicap over 2000m where a dead-heat was declared between GOING MY OWN WAY and CAN COPE. Both ran on well from midfield and after a thrilling tussle over the final 100m they couldn’t be separated.
Titbits
Third placed PRINCESS ELEANOR was finishing best of all when beaten less than half a length in the MR68 Handicap over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (3) Morrie 8
Race 2: (6) Liquification 15
Race 3: (2) Devon Gold 46
Race 4: (9) Dixie Rebel 14
Race 5: (1) Cape Siskin 50
Race 6: (3) Nisa’s Love 50
Race 7: (5) Taso The Sailor 35
Race 8: (1) Wendy Mae 31
Race 9: (7) Impresa 51
Kenilworth (tues)
Race 1: (10) Sails Set 5
Race 2: (6) Jeremy 13
Race 3: (1) Imperial Guard 18
Race 4: (1) Gauteng 12
Race 5: (10) Beulah 44 (EW)
Race 6: (16) Arcsign 50
Race 7: (9) Emblem Honour 51
Race 8: (6) Charlie Strong 12
Scottsville (wed)
Race 1: (9) Richochet Flyer 11
Race 2: (7) Durban Blues 11
Race 3: (2) Shezamatador 15
Race 4: (1) Fleetfox 2
Race 5: (5) Tipo Tinto 84
Race 6: (12) Argyle Bay 65
Race 7: (4) Echuka 56
Race 8: (6) Square Dance 73
Race 9: (12) Birkins Best 18
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Aznerak 17
Race 2: (3) Strictlycumdancin 9
Race 3: (2) Latino Heat 13
Race 4: (6) Fire Dancing 64
Race 5: (12) Disco Boy 54
Race 6: (4) Scrum Half 43
Race 7: (6) Facebook 51
Race 8: (11) French Approval 40
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Scottsville 23rd May
5 Top Rated Winners
Billy Boy Blues won 40/1
Entisaar won 7/1
Fade To Grey won 5/1
Captain Of All won 7/2
Seventh Plain won 22/10
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Notebook:-
Nottinghamshire (A Greeff, E-Cape)
Sabaha (D Howells, KZN)
Seventh Plain (D Drier, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Vaal (sand) 21st May
Going Standard
1000m (2) Tearaway 60,71
Fairview 22nd May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1200m (3) Al Don Cumarco 68,87
1400m (2) Bertle Turtle 85,43
1800m (3) Kalamain 111,92
Scottsville 23rd May
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1200m (5) Carry On Alice 69,10
1400m (2) Master Archer 83,09
1600m (1) Sabaha 95,90
1750m (1) Billy Boy Blues 108,73
Kenilworth (new) 23rd May
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Rebel’s Idol 58,78
1200m (4) Mister Matchett 71,11
1400m (2) Hope Downs 87,21
2000m (1) Going My Own Way/Can Cope 127,51
